The BEST Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

‘Tis the season for all things pumpkin. Below I’m sharing my favorite and the BEST pumpkin recipes for cookies, cocktails, cakes, donuts, pies, and more. There is something for everyone here.

My Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

It’s no secret that I love my pumpkin treats. Over the past 10 years here on Inspired by Charm, I’ve posted dozens of the BEST pumpkin recipes.

Before you ask, it’s impossible to choose an absolute favorite. That’s why I’ve pulled together this collection of the best pumpkin recipes for you to try. I recommend each and every one!

Here Are More Delicious Fall-Inspired Recipe Collections:

• The Best Fall Cookie Recipes
• 20+ Recile for Fall you MUST MAKE!
• The Best Apple Recipes for Fall
• Delicious Fall Cocktail Recipes
• The BEST Dip Recipes
• 8+ Go-To Hors D’Oeuvres Ideas

FAQs about Pumpkin Recipes

Before we get into the recipes, I’m going to address some common questions I’ve received over the years of sharing these recipes. If you have another question that isn’t answered here, please leave it in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

What makes a pumpkin recipe delicious?

Have you ever tried plain pumpkin puree? Whether it’s homemade or out of a can, it’s…not especially tasty. To me, what makes the best pumpkin recipes so wonderful is what you add to the pumpkin. Most notably, the spices.

My typical spices for any pumpkin recipe are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. There are others, such as cardamom, allspice, and peppercorn, but those first four are basically non-negotiable.

While most of the recipes in this collection are sweet, pumpkin is also a great addition to savory items. Pumpkin with sage, for example, is a wonderful combination. There’s a restaurant in my area that makes pumpkin ravioli with a sage butter sauce that is pure heaven.

Since it’s the spices that give pumpkin recipes the classic seasonal fall flavor we’ve all come to know and love, you can take many of your favorite recipes and give them a pumpkin upgrade.

How do you make pure pumpkin taste good?

This depends on how you want it to taste. Are you in the mood for something sweet? Or maybe you want a savory recipe.

The best way to make pure pumpkin taste good is to make one of my 25 recipes shared in this post. You can make pumpkin mousse, French toast, or even use it in mac and cheese.

What is the healthiest way to eat pumpkin?

When it comes to eating healthy pumpkin recipes, calories matter. Pumpkin is already really high in essential nutrients and vitamins. For the healthiest recipes, make anything that doesn’t use a lot of sugar. Try my pumpkin drinks or any of the savory recipes.

How long does pumpkin puree last?

Fresh pumpkin puree will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about one week. The same rule applies to the canned pumpkin puree that you opened.

Traditional Pumpkin Recipes

Now let’s talk all things pumpkin! Here are the best pumpkin recipes on IBC!

1. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

These are one of my go-to fall breakfast treats. While these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls require a little advanced planning, the results are more than worth it. Pumpkin perfection!

2. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Speaking of cinnamon rolls, these pumpkin cinnamon roll cookies are another popular treat around here! I took inspiration from a cinnamon roll cookie recipe and added pumpkin and spices for spectacular fall flavor. It’s impossible to eat just one.

3. Pumpkin Old Fashioned

You can add pumpkin puree to cocktails, too. Here I shook up a classic old fashioned with pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and a few other goodies. It’s a libation befitting the season.

4. Pumpkin Spice Cream Horns

Cream Horns (also known as Lady Locks) are a beloved cookie in my family. For autumn, I took our classic recipe and tweaked the filling to add pumpkin and spices.

5. Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

Another classic I gave a pumpkin makeover to is French toast. I prepare this pumpkin French toast casserole recipe the night before, so there’s hardly any work in the morning!

6. Pumpkin Tiramisu

In case you didn’t know…I am mad about desserts, and that includes tiramisu. Again, I took inspiration from the traditional recipe and added pumpkin and spices to whip up this seasonal version.

Pumpkin Beverage Recipes

7. Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate

Made with real pumpkin, white chocolate, milk, and all your favorite fall spices, this pumpkin-inspired hot chocolate is a hands-down winner!

8. Frozen Pumpkin Pie Martini

Yes, you can even use pumpkin in cocktails! For fall, I’m saying go big or go home with this frozen pumpkin pie martini. It tastes like dessert in a drink. Trust me, this one is delicious.

9. Pumpkin Spice White Russians

The classic white Russian cocktail gets a fall twist with the help of pumpkin spice. Garnished with a cinnamon stick, these pumpkin spice white Russians are a delicious, creamy, and seasonal libation.

Classic Pumpkin Recipes

We’ve covered pumpkin-inspired variations of standard recipes. Now, let’s talk about classic pumpkin recipes. Most of these have long been go-to’s for me. If you also like the classics, these pumpkin recipes are for you, too.

10. Pumpkin Pie Bars

If you’re a fan of pumpkin pie, you’re going to love these pumpkin pie bars. In a nutshell, they’re pumpkin pie in bar form. They are made with an oat crust and brown sugar pecan topping. These are a must-try!

11. Really Good Pumpkin Bread

Everyone needs a really good pumpkin bread recipe in their back pocket. This is my go-to pumpkin bread. It’s moist and full of the pumpkin and spices many of us seem to crave when cooler weather finally rolls in.

12. Soft Pumpkin Cookies (Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies)

These pumpkin cookies are hands down my favorite pumpkin cookie – they are soft and covered with fluffy cream cheese frosting. S-o-o-o good!

I love them so much that I even created a pumpkin spice latte version with an espresso frosting!

13. Pumpkin Bars

When I think of pumpkin desserts, pumpkin bars are one of the things that immediately come to mind. This is a recipe I make again and again because it’s a crowd-pleaser.

14. Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping

This pumpkin cake with crumb topping is a newer recipe here on Inspired by Charm. It’s a deliciously moist cake with a crunchy topping. It’s great for breakfast or a late afternoon treat.

15. Pumpkin Slab Pie

This is my take on classic pumpkin pie. It contains the same ingredients but is made in a sheet pan instead of a pie dish. The polka dot-inspired topping gives it a modern touch.

16. Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Glaze

There are lots of pumpkin muffin recipes out there, but what I especially like about this one is that it’s simple. For your efforts, you get a delectable pumpkin cake covered in a sweet maple glaze.

17. Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Any respectable list of pumpkin recipes needs to include a pumpkin donut, right? These donuts are baked because why mess with frying when it’s not necessary for out-of-this-world flavor?

Unique Pumpkin Recipes

Now that we’ve covered classic pumpkin recipes, plus how to turn your favorite recipes into pumpkin recipes, it’s time to get creative with our pumpkin endeavors. These are a few of my favorite unique pumpkin recipes.

18. Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Let’s start this section off with a bang. This pumpkin recipe comprises layers of freshly made bread separated by brown sugar, pumpkin, and cinnamon. You cannot go wrong!

19. Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

I’m not sure if this pumpkin recipe is unique, but it certainly is delicious. Because it’s so easy to make, baked pumpkin oatmeal has become a fall staple at Bayberry House, especially when I have overnight guests.

20. Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

This pumpkin pie ice cream was developed for those days in the fall when it feels like summer outside. In addition to its rich pumpkin flavor, this ice cream has pie crust flakes mixed into it. Love that crunch!

21. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Frosting

In my opinion, whoopie pies are highly underrated, and this pumpkin version is no exception. These remind me of cupcakes, except they have a better distribution of frosting. Who doesn’t want frosting in every bite?!

22. Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins

I realize we’ve covered donuts and muffins already, but this is what you get when you marry the two. When you can’t decide whether you want a donut or a muffin, these glazed pumpkin donut muffins are the answer.

23. Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

If you’re looking for a tasty pumpkin-inspired dessert recipe, this Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding, made with cinnamon raisin bagels, is a winner. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle for an amazing fall treat.

24. Cranberry Pumpkin Bars

Tart cranberries and a brown butter cream cheese frosting make these Cranberry Pumpkin Bars an epic fall dessert. Rich, flavorful, and perfectly fall, you’re going to love this seasonal treat. 

25. Creamy Pumpkin Dip

Celebrate the season with this easy-to-make Creamy Pumpkin Dip. Made with cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, pumpkin, and seasonal spices, this dip is creamy, fluffy, and full of fall pumpkin flavor. 

26. Pumpkin Snack Cake

This Pumpkin Snack Cake is a delicious and moist fall dessert that’s loaded with pumpkin flavor, sprinkled with chocolate toffee bites, and finished with a sweet cream cheese drizzle. If you need a quick, easy, and flavorful fall dessert treat, this recipe is for you! 

27. Aunt Maggie’s Pumpkin Roll

When I think of quintessential fall desserts, a Pumpkin Roll always comes to mind. This is my Aunt Maggie’s Pumpkin Roll recipe. It’s a delicious pumpkin cake wrapped around a sweet cream cheese frosting. What’s not to love?

28. Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

Classic pumpkin quick bread is taken to the next level with a creamy and tangy cream cheese swirl right through the center. This Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl will quickly become your new and preferred fall sweet treat.

29. Pumpkin Pasties / Hand Pies

Whether you call them Pumpkin Pasties or Pumpkin Hand Pies, these English-inspired sweet treats make a delightful fall dessert. With a delicious pumpkin pie filling, cinnamon crust, and a sweet, spiced glaze there’s plenty to love about this autumn dessert.

Savory Pumpkin Recipes

The final pumpkin recipes in this collection are savory ones.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the recipe for the pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce mentioned above (yet!), but I do have two savory pumpkin recipes I think you’ll enjoy.

30. Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini

This Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini is an easy and tasty fall dinner idea you can whip up with little time or effort. Store-bought tortellini is coated in a cheesy and creamy pumpkin sauce that will have you going back for seconds. 

31. Sausage Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

I love a dish with a wow factor. These cranberry and sausage stuffed mini pumpkins taste great, and they will totally impress your guests.

32. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Last but certainly not least is my pumpkin mac and cheese with bacon. It’s the perfect side (or a full meal) for fall. So many favorites in one dish!

That’s a Wrap on the BEST Pumpkin Recipes!

I hope you love all of these recipes as much as I do. As you can see, I wasn’t kidding when I said there’s a pumpkin recipe for everyone.

What’s your favorite pumpkin-inspired recipe? Is there something I need to taste-test or make?

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